Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-03
Minister wasnburne Defended.

10 The L1ttOF OF me DtSp0tch:
1 rather wonder at your republishing
the article from the Philadelphia Tete-
0raph, written by "Lucy II. Hooper"
on the late "Minister Washburne in
Paris" 1t is very much in the nature of
the filings that Don Piatt used to send
ont at Judge John Y. Mason. Piatts
character was such that the Judge wrote
to his personal friend, Mr.. Marcy, then
Secretary of State, "For Gods sake
send me a gentlemen, and thereupon o.
Jennings Wise was made secretary of
legation ut Paris in place OF Don Piatt.
Everybody knows that the trouble
with our diplomatic representatives
abroad is, as a rule, not parsimony, but
the want of salary adequate to the social
requirement Of their positions. Judge
Mason died at his post, having probably
expended every dollar he could command
in the expenses OF his family and in en-
tertaining his c0untrymen, who were
always most Hospitality welcomed at his
hotel. Mr. Rives told me after his sec
ond return from France that his estate
was mortgaged for the balance of his
life by the debt he had incurred in try
ing to maintain the dignity of his posi-
ton as our Minister And Mr.. Steven
son once said to me that his salary while
he was in London over and above his
necessary expenses would not have en-
abled him to give a cup Of tea to every
American who called upon him.
Mrs. (or Miss) Hooper critici2es the
economy exercised by Mr.. Washburne
during the later years of his incumbency
OF tho ministership to France, alleging
that it was such as to lead everybody TO
imagine that he was much Strengthened
for means, and was obliged to rely
wholly on his official income and pre-
faces this by saying that the largo fortune
left by him IS a source OF great astonish-
ment to the American residents of Paris
who were there during that time
The facts are, believe, that Mr.. Wash
buIne was not man of large means
while he was Misister to France, and
the fortune which he left at his death
was, as / understand, chiefly devised to
him after his return by e brother who
died in Minnesota.
l did not sympathize with Mr.. Wash
burne in national politics but he was by
consent Of all, at home and abroad, q
strong man, man of great firmness, of
high integrity, Of expanded views, and
OF unquestionable patriotism aud as On
American / have felt proud of the honor
he gained for our country by his course
as our representative during the Franco
Prussian war; One Of the newspapers
of tins city said OF him at the time of
his death "He was the only foreign
diplomat of the brilliant throng that
gathered at the imperial court who dared
remain at bis post of duty and brave the
perils OF war, famine, and domestic riots.
His sympathies were broad, and the Anne
rican flag which fioated over the legation
sheltered English, Germans, Austrians,
Russians, and everybody else among the
resident foreigners who needed prOtec-
ton. The result of this policy was to
make both the man and the flag respected
by all nations and all parties, and to give
our Government standing at more than
one European capital which IL had never
enjoyed befo.e. And the London Daily
telegraph gaId in the course OF column
obituary; Few public men ever ex.
PRED in the United States leaving be-
hind them a better record than that
which win follow 20 the tomb the Hon.
Elihu B. Washburne. His death viii be
dsplored by oil with whom he was ac-
quainted, and most OF all, perhaps, by
those correspondents OF English and
American journals who were present
In Paris during the siege and the COM
mnne, and who can never forget the I'M
failing kindness, courtesy, and sympathy
they experienced ut the hands OF the
exemplary and devoted American Minis.
ter" A y1RaIElAN.
Warrington, ID. e.